Afghan minister vows punishment for girls feigning illness

[Slav Defence]

KABUL: Afghanistan’s education minister has threatened to punish schoolgirls who claim to suffer from alleged “poisonings” that many officials believe are actually temporary psychological illnesses.

Scores of girls’ schools over recent years have seen mysterious mass faintings, nausea and similar symptoms that are often blamed by police and the local media on poisoning by Taliban insurgents or toxic gas leaks.

But no laboratory evidence of poison or other toxins has ever been found at schools and no deaths have occurred, with the girls often released from hospital after only a few hours.

In the latest case, 200 girls were reported to have been “poisoned” at a school in Kabul on May 1, causing an outbreak of screaming, stomach aches and vomiting.

“From now on, if I find anyone saying ‘I’m poisoned’ and the poisoning is not proved by the hospital, I will punish the student,” Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak told a press conference on Tuesday.

“I will punish the teacher, I will punish the head teacher and I will punish the school director,” he added.

The education department said the government was determined to crack down on the causes of outbreaks of psychological illnesses among young girls.

“When one student faints, it spreads around and everyone might think it’s poisoning,” Mohammad Kabir Haqmal, spokesman for the ministry, told AFP.

“If tests prove it is mass hysteria or any other natural cause, of course no one will be punished. What the minister said was that we will pursue those who disrupt the classes.”

Wazhma Frouqh, a female education activist, criticised the minister’s stance and said that previous cases of “poisonings” had dissuaded families from sending their daughters to school.

“The minister should not have said that he will punish schoolgirls,” she told AFP. “His job is to find out what has happened and protect schools.”

Girls were banned from going to school under the Taliban, but numbers have risen since the extremist regime was ousted in 2001 and the government says 40 per cent of pupils are now female.

 

[M.harris]

Scores of girls’ schools over recent years have seen mysterious mass faintings, nausea and similar symptoms that are often blamed by police and the local media on poisoning by Taliban insurgents or toxic gas leaks.

But no laboratory evidence of poison or other toxins has ever been found at schools and no deaths have occurred, with the girls often released from hospital after only a few hours.

In the latest case, 200 girls were reported to have been “poisoned” at a school in Kabul on May 1, causing an outbreak of screaming, stomach aches and vomiting.

“From now on, if I find anyone saying ‘I’m poisoned’ and the poisoning is not proved by the hospital, I will punish the student,” Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak told a press conference on Tuesday.

“I will punish the teacher, I will punish the head teacher and I will punish the school director,” he added.

The education department said the government was determined to crack down on the causes of outbreaks of psychological illnesses among young girls.

“When one student faints, it spreads around and everyone might think it’s poisoning,” Mohammad Kabir Haqmal, spokesman for the ministry, told AFP.

“If tests prove it is mass hysteria or any other natural cause, of course no one will be punished. What the minister said was that we will pursue those who disrupt the classes.”

Wazhma Frouqh, a female education activist, criticised the minister’s stance and said that previous cases of “poisonings” had dissuaded families from sending their daughters to school.

“The minister should not have said that he will punish schoolgirls,” she told AFP. “His job is to find out what has happened and protect schools.”

Girls were banned from going to school under the Taliban, but numbers have risen since the extremist regime was ousted in 2001 and the government says 40 per cent of pupils are now female.

I am sure evil Pakistanis behind this incident.

 

[Slav Defence]

In the latest case, 200 girls were reported to have been “poisoned” at a school in Kabul on May 1, causing an outbreak of screaming, stomach aches and vomiting.


This news express that with how serious situation do people of Afghanistan are passing through-- emphasizing the psychological disorders due to actual cases.We must find a solution to ease stress to our afghani people who are suffering due to war rather than increasing their pain.
what west portrays is always taliban...but not actual women,children,young girls and men....they only portrays a single image of afghanistan....terrorists with rocket launchers....I suggest that people of afghanistan must be shown rather than militants or NATO

 

[livingdead]

It means afgan leaders are desi leaders like Indian/pakistani......

 

[Slav Defence]

It means afgan leaders are desi leaders like Indian/pakistani......

so you expect afghani leader to tolerate "chonchlay" specially when it is in the state of war?

 

[BATMAN]

Afghan officials.. are selling girls to temples in bharat.
Some of them are sacrificed and some are kept to barracks of hindu army.
Every one knows, how Northern Alliance warlords worship hindus, in a fear of Pakistan army.
After all they believe that it was Pak army which kept them cornered for years.

 

[livingdead]

so you expect afghani leader to tolerate "chonchlay" specially when it is in the state of war?

I was talking about they way they communicate with media... full of gaffes... and we miss out what the guy was saying..

Afghan officials.. are selling ...

post reported...

 

[Slav Defence]

Afghan officials.. are selling girls to temples in bharat.
Some of them are sacrificed and some are kept to barracks of hindu army.
Every one knows, how Northern Alliance warlords worship hindus, in a fear of Pakistan army.
After all they believe that it was Pak army which kept them cornered for years.

source...???